


Stitches

by vvavavoom



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula is a good Aunt, Babysitting, Blood, Broken Chin, Dadko, F/F, Medical Procedures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvavavoom/pseuds/vvavavoom
Summary: Azula and Ty Lee's adventures in babysitting.
Relationships: Azula & Izumi (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 175





	Stitches

**Author's Note:**

> This literally happened to me as a kid so I thought I'd write about it.

Azula had finally gotten Izumi to sleep. Ty Lee was trying to help earlier but she had only managed to rile the girl up more so Azula banished her from the room, telling her to get ready for bed herself. It took a few stories and empty threats, but she had done it, the girl was sleeping soundly now.

The woman slowly removed herself from the bed and tip toed out the room. Zuko had left Izumi with Azula and Ty Lee for the weekend, the little princess had begged her father for a sleepover with her aunts and he couldn’t say no. Although he did leave them with very specific instructions on how to care for his daughter and to please, please send for him should they need anything at all. Azula had scoffed. Her? Need him? She found it an unlikely scenario.

Ty Lee was still in the bathroom so Azula decided to make sure their quarters were locked up before heading to get washed up herself. On the way back to the bedroom she notices a trail of little droplets of blood coming from the guest room where Izumi was sleeping. Azula rushed to push open the door only to find that the little girl was not in bed.

Impossible! She couldn’t have left her alone for more than ten minutes! A rush of dread fills Azula’s entire body. Stay calm Azula. You should investigate before you start to panic.

The princess followed the trail of droplets all the way to her bedroom. Inside, Azula found her niece sitting cross legged on the bed cupping her hands on her chin. She was waiting patiently for Ty Lee to come out of the bathroom.

“Izumi what happened? Where did all this blood come from?” Azula asked bewildered.

“Zuza I fell. My chin hurts.” Izumi blinked sleepily.

“Fell how? I thought you were sleeping.” She walked over to the child. “Let me see.”

“I dunno. I fell off.” Izumi pulled her hand away from her chin revealing so much blood.

“Oh sh- Ty Lee!” Azula banged on the bathroom door. “Ty Lee come out right now!”

“Yesss?” Ty Lee sang cheerfully as she opened the door. Azula pushed her way inside to grab a towel.

“Hurry we need to see a physician.” The aunt rushes over to press the towel against her niece’s chin. “Izumi is bleeding.”

“Oh!” Ty Lee calmly came over to examine the young princess. “It looks like you broke your chin! You’ll probably need a few stitches. I’ve had to get stitches there before. Azula, remember that one time I-.”

“Ty Lee!! I don’t have time for this! She’s bleeding!” Azula yelled as she picks up Izumi, pressing the towel on her wound.

“Alright, jeez, calm down before you scare her.” Ty Lee turned to the child “Everything’s gonna be fine Izumi, does it hurt?”

“Yeah, a little.” The girl said, anxiously looking between her aunts.

“You’re so brave! And you’re not even crying!” Ty Lee clapped her hands. “Congratulations!”

“Enough!” Azula was looking for her shoes while still carrying her niece. “Stop wasting time, we need to send for the physician!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll have Zuko send a doctor.” Ty Lee was about to leave the room before Azula stopped her.

“What!? Do not tell Zuko about this. He does not need to know.”

“Azula, I think he’s gonna find out sooner or later.”

“I don’t care! He will just make things worse!” She looked panicked, holding Izumi closer. She just knew it, Zuko’s going to blow up on her because of this.

“Hey.” Ty Lee laid a hand on Azula’s arm. “It’s ok, Zuko’s not gonna blame you. He trusts you.”

“It doesn’t matter! Now go find a physician, bring them here now, and whatever you do, do not call the Fire Lord.” Azula pointed to the door.

“Ok Azula, whatever you say Azula.” Ty Lee shrugged as she left.

Azula set Izumi down again at the edge of the bathroom counter to further inspect the wound. Her chin was definitely split open but most of the bleeding had stopped. Azula felt a little more relaxed knowing that her niece wasn’t going to bleed out on her.

“How does it feel?”

“It hurts.” Izumi looked remarkably calm considering the hysterics Azula had been in a few moments ago.

“I know.” She tried comforting the child. “Just don’t touch it.”

Shortly after, Ty Lee arrived with the physician who assessed the situation. He confirmed that Izumi would need four stitches in her chin.

“Alright then, do it.” Azula demanded. “And be careful, that’s a royal chin you’re stitching.”

Izumi looked nervous as the doctor set up all his equipment. “Zuza, what’s he gonna do?”

Not sure how to explain it gently she said, “He’s going to use stitches to close your chin.” That didn’t seem to soothe the young girl. The doctor got to work while Azula and Ty Lee watched over his shoulder.

“Maybe you should hold her hand Azula, she looks pretty scared.” Ty Lee whispered.

“Ok.” Azula grabbed Izumi’s little hand in hers. The girl squeezed her eyes shut when the doctor injected a drug to numb the area. Ty Lee applauded her for being so brave. Azula just held her hand tighter as he began stitching.

“Maybe you should talk to her, tell a joke, you know?” Ty Lee suggested.

“I know how to comfort my own niece Ty Lee, thank you very much.”

A couple minutes passed in silence before Azula said. “I’m surprised your chin didn’t break the floor instead, Izumi. It’s so sharp. If you’re not more careful you could puncture the hull of an empire-class Fire Nation battleship, leaving thousands to drown at sea. Because... it's so sharp.” Ty Lee smacked a hand to her forehead.

Izumi giggled. “You’re weird, Zuza.”

The physician finished up and Izumi didn’t let go of Azula’s hand once. Azula was proud of the four-year-old, she hadn’t cried at all through the whole ordeal. The doctor gave the young couple instructions on how to care for the stitches and how long it would take to fall out and then bade them goodnight.

“A whole week for them to come out?” Azula snarled. “How irritating. Do you think we can keep her here for a week, so he doesn’t find out?”

Izumi was sleeping in between them in their bed. The last thing Azula needed was for her to roll off again.

“Nope. He’s gonna be here bright and early tomorrow to pick her up.” Ty Lee frowned.

This was a new feeling to Azula. Zuko was usually the one afraid to confront her, not the other way around. Azula gently pushed back a lock of hair on Izumi’s face. Surprisingly the girl had taken to Azula ever since she was a baby. Even when Azula was moody or aloof Izumi would ask to play with her or follow her around. There were a lot of people responsible for the person Azula was now, her brother, her wife, her mother. But Izumi was different. She never saw Azula as scary or crazy, she was just her Aunt Zuza. And Azula loved it, no matter how much she pretended she didn’t sometimes. She loves Izumi.

And now Zuko would probably never let her see her again.

“Don’t worry Azula. Everything’s gonna be fine. You’ll see.” Ty Lee pressed a kiss to her lips and laid down to sleep.

Azula watched Izumi’s sleeping face for a few moments before getting out of bed. She put on a robe and shoes and headed out the door. Azula walked all the way to the nearest guard post. The soldiers inside were shocked to find the Fire Lord’s sister demanding to use the communication line that connected directly to the palace.

She had to wait for over fifteen minutes by the time Zuko came on the line. She heard his confused voice over the receiver ask. “Azula what’s wrong? Is it-”

“Listen Zuzu,” Azula interrupted him, “I just called to let you know what’s happened, but rest assured I’ve already handled it, so I don’t want you barging over here at this time of night, that would be completely unnecessary considering I’m doing you the favor of calling.”

“Handled what? Azula what are you talking about?”

“You have to promise me you won’t overreact like you always do.”

“Azula! Tell me now or-”

“She broke her chin. She rolled out of bed and broke it. She has four infinitesimal stitches in her chin, and they will fall out in one week. She didn’t cry not once and was very brave and if you come get her now you will have to wake her up and that will just upset her more than she already is.”

“Oh.” Was all Zuko could say as he processed the information.

“It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t push her out of the bed if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Azula, I wasn’t-” Zuko sighed, “She’s Ok?”

“Yes, she’s sleeping soundly with Ty Lee right now.”

“And she didn’t cry?” He sounded surprised.

Azula laughed, a genuine one. “No, not at all. She’s brave, that one.”

“Yeah, she’s something else.” Zuko sounded proud.

There was a long silence over the line. “So, you’re not angry then?”

“Well I’m annoyed that you didn’t tell me when it happened but no, I’m not mad. It was an accident.”

Azula wouldn’t admit that she was relieved. “Yes, well you have a bad track record of overreacting.”

She heard him huff over the line, “I can’t help it. When you have kids, you’ll understand.”

“No, I think one little gremlin for a niece is enough for me.” She rolled her eyes.

“Thank you, Azula. For taking care of her, and telling me, a- and everything else.”

“Of course, Zuzu. Anytime.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to think of Izumi as the stitch between Zuko and Azula. <3
> 
> I appreciate kudos and I love comments!! They help keep me motivated ☺️


End file.
